Dissertationen/Habilitationen

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Essays on Management Accounting: A Behavioral Perspective on Management Control Systems and Firm Performance
(2025) Sabel, Rebecca
This dissertation adopts a behavioral perspective on management control systems and examines how incentives, monitoring, and debiasing interventions shape managerial decision-making and firm performance. It comprises four research papers that address distinct yet interrelated aspects of management controls in practice.
The first paper investigates the concept of failure awards, i.e., awards granted for promising but ultimately unsuccessful projects. Based on an experimental study, the findings indicate that failure awards generally increase risk-taking but only reduce escalation of commitment when they emphasize the early discontinuation of failing projects. These results highlight the potential of symbolic incentives to influence innovation and resource allocation decisions.
The second paper analyzes the interaction of telework and employee monitoring. The experiment shows that teleworkers exert higher levels of effort and engage in less misreporting than office workers, primarily due to reciprocity. At the same time, monitoring leads office workers to reduce their effort and misreporting more strongly than teleworkers. The findings therefore illustrate that monitoring can have unintended consequences and may not represent an optimal management control mechanism for office workers.
The third paper presents a systematic literature review on training interventions aimed at mitigating cognitive biases. The review identifies six types of approaches, with serious games emerging as the most promising method for reducing biases. However, it also demonstrates that moderators such as training design or contextual factors exhibit limited influence, pointing to the need for further research on the conditions under which debiasing interventions are effective.
The fourth paper examines biases in the mergers and acquisitions process. It identifies phase-specific vulnerabilities and outlines potential debiasing measures that can be implemented at different stages of the transaction. By doing so, it highlights the role of management accounting in supporting rational decision-making and enhancing the effectiveness of control systems in high-stakes corporate contexts.
Übersetzte Welten. Kulturelle Übersetzungsprozesse in deutschsprachiger Gegenwartsliteratur
(2025) Boucher, Marie-Christine
Mehrsprachige Literatur ist kein neues Phänomen, doch hat sich die Forschung bisher vor allem mit den offensichtlichen Formen der Mehrsprachigkeit beschäftigt. Dabei wird oft übersehen, dass auch in scheinbar einsprachigen Werken mehrere Sprachen präsent sind. Marie-Christine Boucher zeigt, wie in transnationalen Romanen übersetzte Welten entstehen, in denen die mehrsprachige Lebenswelt in eine literarische Einsprachigkeit überführt wird. Sie beleuchtet, wie kulturelle Übersetzungsprozesse die deutschsprachige Literaturlandschaft der Gegenwart prägen, und plädiert für eine translatorische Literaturwissenschaft, die nationale Literaturbegriffe überwindet und sich zwischen Kulturen, Sprachen und Nationen bewegt.
Vergleich zwischen kombinierter chirurgischer und kombinierter perkutaner Behandlung der Aortenklappenstenose und koronaren Herzkrankheit mit Schwerpunkt auf die postinterventionelle Schrittmacherpflichtigkeit
(2025-09) Fuchs, Martin Victor
Die Implantation eines permanenten Schrittmachers ist eine häufige Komplikation nach einem Aortenklappenersatz. Bei Patienten mit gleichzeitig bestehender schweren AS und KHK wurde die kombinierte perkutane Behandlung (TAVI + PCI) bislang noch nicht mit dem chirurgischen Ansatz (SAVR + CABG) hinsichtlich des PPI-Risikos und der langfristigen Ergebnisse verglichen. Alle 1.232 Patienten, die sich zwischen Januar 2010 und Dezember 2020 in unserem Zentrum einer TAVI + PCI oder SAVR + CABG unterzogen, wurden in die Analyse eingeschlossen. Zur Vergleichbarkeit der Daten beider Behandlungsmethoden und zur Korrektur von Selektionsverzerrungen wurde ein Propensity-Score-Matching durchgeführt. Die in den gematchten Gruppen eingeschlossenen Patienten wiesen ein ähnliches perioperatives Risiko auf, und die demografischen Merkmale beider Gruppen waren vergleichbar. Die mediane Nachbeobachtungszeit für die klinischen Daten betrug 3,64 Jahre. Unter den 120 Propensity-Score-gematchten Paaren (60:60) wies die TAVI + PCI Gruppe im Vergleich zur SAVR + CABG Gruppe eine signifikant höhere Rate an PPI innerhalb von 30 Tagen (16,7% vs. 5%; p= 0,039; unadjustierte OR 3,8, 95% CI (0,01-2,68)) sowie erhöhte Werte für das Auftreten von PPI im Langzeitvergleich auf (11,7% vs. 8,3%, p=0,583, unadjustierte Sub-HR, 1,42, 95% CI (0,904-1,602)). Beim Langzeitüberleben gab es keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen, d. h. im Median 5,55 Jahre nach SAVR + CABG gegenüber 4,05 Jahren nach TAVI + PCI (p=0,312; HR 0,765; 95% CI 0,44 bis 1,32). Ein höheres Risiko für PPI nach TAVI + PCI im Vergleich zu SAVR + CABG sollte bei der Therapieentscheidung berücksichtigt werden. Für die klinische Entscheidungsfindung sind weitere Erkenntnisse erforderlich.
Citizenship, Critique and Communication. An Inquiry into the Repoliticization of Social Interactions
(2024) Jurado Castaño, Pedro Alejandro
This dissertation elaborates on a critical concept of citizenship departing from a theoretical reconstruction of the normative idea developed in the history of philosophy and displays a critical analysis of the problems implicated in the political exercise of citizenship in the times of neoliberal capitalism. It is assumed that citizenship has suffered from an ongoing phenomenon of depoliticization in modern times, which blocks the political capacities of citizens to submit to their power the social world. Accordingly, the dissertation submits to scrutiny the phenomenon of depoliticization, claiming that it is a social pathology that affects the political interactions and suggests a critical interpretation of how those problems could be overcome. Following the methodological guidance of contemporary critical theory, the analysis is carried out in two parts that reflect two types of analytical reconstruction: a normative-theoretical and a social-critical. By virtue of that, it is claimed that the autonomy of subjects, seen as the essence of a sustainable normative concept of citizenship, is partially realized in the practices of claiming rights and proposing social conflicts by the agendas of political actors and social movements that oppose the perceived problems taking place in our form of life currently facing many crises. As a conclusion, the dissertation suggests that the pathology of depoliticization affects the quality of the communication performed in claims that political actors and social movements perform today as representations of their needs, interests and desires. Because of this, a process of argumentation is proposed for political interactions that points out how exactly some political struggles may be more legitimate than others in terms of the type of deliberation they trigger publicly.
Untersuchung von Ischämie-/Reperfusionsschäden nach unterschiedlichen Arten von Kardioplegie am isolierten Rattenmodell - Evaluation der Del Nido Kardioplegie
(2024) Menzebach, Sophie
Die Del Nido Kardioplegie wurde in den 90er Jahren speziell für den Einsatz in der Kinderherzchirurgie entwickelt. Als modifizierte depolarisierende Lösung erlangte sie insbesondere durch ihre single-shot Verabreichung große Beachtung und wurde im Laufe der Zeit zunehmend und mit vielversprechenden Ergebnissen auch in der Erwachsenenchirurgie eingesetzt. In dieser Arbeit erfolgte der experimentelle Vergleich der kardioprotektiven Eigenschaften der Del Nido Kardioplegie und der warmen Calafiore Blutkardioplegie während einer 90-minütigen Ischämie an 20 adulten Rattenherzen mittels isolierter Organperfusion im Langendorff-Modell. Nach einer Stabilisierungsphase wurde der Herzstillstand durch die Verabreichung von Calafiore- oder Del Nido Kardioplegie ausgelöst. Die Calafiore-Lösung wurde dabei warm und intermittierend verabreicht, während die Gabe von Del Nido als single shot erfolgte. Im Zuge der 90-minütigen Reperfusion wurden die Herzfunktion und der kardiale Metabolismus bewertet sowie biochemische Parameter gemessen. Im Anschluss an die Durchführung des Experiments erfolgte die Vorbereitung der Herzen für die nachfolgende elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung. Die mit Calafiore Kardioplegie behandelten Herzen zeigten während der Reperfusion eine schnellere Erholung und einen höheren LVDP als die mit Del Nido behandelten Herzen. Ischämische Kontrakturen traten in der Del Nido-Gruppe bereits nach 30 Minuten Ischämie auf, während in der Calafiore-Gruppe kein Anstieg des diastolischen Drucks beobachtet wurde. Infolgedessen wurde eine höhere Laktatproduktion zu Beginn der Reperfusion nach Del Nido im Vergleich zu Calafiore beobachtet. Die Troponin-I-Werte am Ende der Reperfusion wiesen nach der Del-Nido-Behandlung höhere Werte auf. Die Ergebnisse der Elektronenmikroskopie zeigten, dass der zelluläre Ödemindex in erwachsenen Del Nido-Herzen höher war als in erwachsenen Calafiore-Herzen, während die VS-Ratio ähnlich war. Zusammenfassend lässt sich aus den Ergebnissen dieser Arbeit schließen, dass die Calafiore Kardioplegie einen besseren Schutz des Myokards vor ischämie-/reperfusionsbedingten Schäden in isoliert perfundierten Herzen erwachsener Ratten bietet als die Del Nido Kardioplegie.
Navigating policy transfer from international organizations to single states: the case of marine spatial planning adoption in Colombia
(2024) Miteva-Bölter, Pavlina
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is being widely adopted as a policy instrument for sustainable marine governance. The international organization IOC-UNESCO is one of its main promoters among the Global South countries. Given the relevance of MSP, it is of utmost importance to understand the policy transfer process from IOC-UNESCO to individual states. The study uses policy transfer theory with elements of process tracing to describe and explain the process of MSP transfer and adoption, with a particular focus on Colombia. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the determining factors of domestic and international character, and of the underlying causal mechanisms. The study finds learning from narratives to be the main causal mechanism for policy transfer; the international factors as necessary for it to happen, whereas the domestic factors, such as past policy experiences and inter-sectoral dynamics, as determining for the policy transfer pace and the adopted content.
Der Einfluss der Ernährung von Frühgeborenen mit einem Gestationsalter < 32 Schwangerschaftswochen und < 1.000 g Geburtsgewicht auf die Entstehung und den Schweregrad der bronchopulmonalen Dysplasie – eine retrospektive Analyse
(2023) Weigand, Theresa
Die bronchopulmonale Dysplasie (BPD) hat einen multifaktoriellen Ursprung und ist durch eine unterbrochene physiologische Lungenentwicklung gekennzeichnet. Der Einfluss der Ernährung auf das Auftreten und den Schweregrad der BPD ist bisher wenig untersucht. Es wurde eine retrospektive Analyse an 207 Frühgeborenen < 1.000 g und < 32 Schwangerschaftswochen ohne schwere gastrointestinale Komplikationen durchgeführt, um die Auswirkungen der Nährstoffversorgung während der ersten 2 Lebenswochen auf das pulmonale Ergebnis zu bewerten. Die Frühgeborenen wurden in 2 Gruppen eingeteilt, die keine oder eine milde bzw. eine moderate oder schwere BPD aufwiesen, um leichte und schwere Einschränkungen der Lungenfunktion zu unterscheiden. Nach Risikoadjustierung für Gestationsalter, Geburtsgewicht, Geschlecht, Mehrlinge und die antenatale Gabe von Steroiden zeigte sich bei Frühgeborenen mit moderater oder schwerer BPD eine statistisch signifikant verringerte Kalorien- und Kohlenhydratzufuhr während der ersten 14 Lebenstage. Der enterale Nahrungsaufbau erfolgte langsamer, sodass in der Gruppe mit moderater bzw. schwerer BPD ein längerer Bedarf an parenteraler Ernährung bestand, während die Versorgung mit Muttermilch, deren Anreicherung und die objektiven Kriterien der Nahrungsunverträglichkeit in beiden Gruppen gleich verteilt waren. Auch in Bezug auf die Zufuhr der Mikronährstoffe zeigte sich kein signifikanter Unterschied in den Gruppen. Zusammenfassend korreliert eine frühe hohe Kalorienzufuhr mit einem besseren pulmonalen Outcome bei Frühgeborenen < 1.000 g und < 32 Schwangerschaftswochen. Die Ergebnisse stehen im Einklang mit dem bereits bekannten starken Einfluss der Nährstoffzufuhr auf das somatische Wachstum und die psychomotorische Entwicklung. Diese Daten ermutigen somit dazu, der weiteren Entschlüsselung des idealen Nährstoffbedarfs für eine uneingeschränkte Lungenentwicklung und der Förderung einer progressiven enteralen Ernährung besondere Aufmerksamkeit zu widmen, sofern keine objektiven Kriterien für eine Nahrungsunverträglichkeit vorliegen.
Die Rolle von Ceramiden und assoziierten Faktoren in der Bildung von Coronavirus-induzierten replikativen Organellen
(2025) Salisch, Florian
RNA viruses have evolved diverse strategies to re-program and exploit host cellular functions and molecules, including cellular lipids, to ensure efficient virus replication and production of infectious virus progeny. A conserved feature of plus-strand RNA virus replication is the formation of membranous microenvironments (replicative organelles, ROs) in virus-infected cells. RO formation is known to be initiated by virus-encoded membrane-associated nonstructural proteins and involves extensive remodeling of host cell membranes. This process is thought to involve cellular enzymes responsible for synthesizing and modifying specific lipids. In this study, I investigated the potential roles of specific cellular sphingolipids and enzymes acting on sphingolipids in the replication of different coronaviruses. The data revealed that, following infection, cellular ceramide species increase significantly, whereas sphingomyelin levels decreased, indicating an involvement of sphingomyelinases that convert sphingomyelin to ceramide. To verify this, I targeted the cellular sphingomyelinases using pharmacological and genetic approaches. I could provide evidence that neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) plays an essential role in an early phase (but not entry) of coronavirus replication in Huh-7-ACE2 cells. Furthermore, I was able to demonstrate a colocalization of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 and ceramide, but not sphingomyelin, with both infection-induced and genetically induced ROs. Ceramides and coronaviral ROs were found to colocalize in different cell systems used in this study. However, in another set of experiments, I also obtained data to suggest that the extent of specific sphingolipid deregulations and the role of nSMase2 in coronavirus infections may vary among different infection systems, depending on the cell type used. Taken together, this study strongly suggests that ceramides serve as crucial lipid building blocks in the formation of coronaviral ROs in different cell types, suggesting that inhibition of cellular ceramide production may represent a potential antiviral strategy against coronavirus infections. However, the mechanisms of ceramide generation or recruitment to specific intracellular sites seem to vary depending on the cell type used and, possibly, the baseline ceramide levels in these cell types. Further investigation is required to clarify these variations and their biological implications.
Die sprachlich-diskursive Legitimation von Militäreinsätzen. Eine diskurslinguistische Analyse französischer Parlamentsdebatten zur Opération Serval (Mali)
(2025) Sommer, Luana
Die Dissertation leistet einen Beitrag zur Erforschung der sprachlich-diskursiven Legitimation von Militäreinsätzen und untersucht anhand eines Korpus französischer Parlamentsdebatten die Legitimierung der "Opération Serval" (Mali). Das im Zuge der Arbeit entwickelte, diskurslinguistische "Modell der Makromechanismen der Legitimation" (MML) eröffnet die Möglichkeit einer systematischen Analyse solcher Legitimationsvorhaben und bildet zugleich eine Grundlage, diese einer fundierten Kritik zu unterziehen.
Genetic study of Red Maasai sheep and their Dorper crossbred’s performance in sub-Saharan Africa
(2025) Oyieng, Edwin Pancras
The aim of this thesis was to study the performance of the Red Maasai sheep, the Dorper sheep and their crosses reared in a semi-arid environment. The study involved the analysis of reproduction parameters, survival of lambs and ewes length of productive life, the impact of heat stress on growth, and developed novel resilience phenotypes for the sheep population. The main breed groups in the breeding program comprised pure Dorper (DDDD), pure Red Maasai (RRRR), 75%Dorper-25%Red Maasai (DDDR) and 50%Dorper-50%Red Maasai – F1 (DDRR). R and ASReml-R software were used to evaluate reproduction parameters. Survival of lambs and the length of productive life of ewes were analysed using Cox and Weibull hazard models of the Survival Kit Version 6.12 software. Random regression models fitted with reaction norm functions were used to assess the impact of heat stress on growth and derive novel resilience phenotypes for growth in response to different levels of heat stress. Information generated through studying the reproductive performance of the flock is presented in Chapter 2. The pure Red Maasai sheep had significantly lower values for average age at first lambing (AFL), ewe birth weight (EBWT), ewe weaning weight (EWWT), litter birth weight (LBWT) and litter weaning weight (LWWT) compared to other breeds studied. The birth type (single or twins), sex of the lamb and parity in which the lambs were born significantly affected ewes’ birth and weaning weights. The overall heritability estimates of AFL (0.09±0.04) and LI (0.00±0.01) were not significant (P>0.05) while the heritability estimates for EBWT (0.38±0.04), EWWT (0.23±0.03), LBWT (0.19±0.03) and LWWT (0.09±0.02) were significant (P<0.05). The repeatability estimates were low for LBWT (0.25), LWWT (0.16) and that of lambing interval (LI) was near zero. Genetic and phenotypic correlations showed strong positive relationships between ewe and lamb weights. The Red Maasai had higher genetic and phenotypic correlations and genetic gains for the traits studied compared to the pure Dorper while the DDRR breed combination had a higher genetic gain among the crosses. LI had negative genetic correlations with LBWT and LWWT while AFL had positive genetic correlations with LBWT and LWWT. The phenotypic trends for AFL and LWWT showed a negative association with rainfall index over the years. Chapter 3 presents the results of pre- and post-weaning lamb survival to yearling, and ewes length of productive life. The pure Red Maasai lambs and ewes had better pre-weaning lamb survival rates and better productive life compared to the other breeds. Overall, 95% and 83% of lambs survived to weaning (90 days) and yearling (365 days), respectively. The Red Maasai lambs had the lowest mortality rates (2%) while Dorper lambs had the highest post-weaning mortality (24%) among the breeds. Lamb survival was significantly influenced by the season of birth, parity in which the lambs were born, birth type (single or twin) and birth weight. Single born lambs, those born during the wet season, offspring of multiparous ewes, and those having higher birth weights (>3kg) were associated with lower mortality risks. Ewe longevity was significantly affected by the breed, age at first lambing, parity and birth weight. Ewes of DDDR breed combination and those that had heavier birth weights (>3Kgs) had the highest risk of being culled, while ewes with a higher age at first lambing (>975 days old) and more than one lambing were less likely to be culled. Pre-weaning heritability estimates for survival (0.10–0.14) were higher than post-weaning estimates (0.01-0.05). The Red Maasai had the highest genetic gain for pre-weaning survival (-0.026) compared to DDDR (-0.018), F1 (-0.011), and Dorper (-0.012). General weakness, often due to poor nutrition, posed the highest risk for of lambs dying post-weaning (12.99 risk ratio), followed by diseases like enterotoxemia and sheep pox (6.006 risk ratio). The impact of heat stress on the growth of sheep and novel resilience phenotypes for growth are presented in Chapter 4. Heat stress, expressed as Temperature-Humidity Index (THI), significantly affected the growth of the sheep. The Red Maasai sheep had a higher tolerance for heat stress compared to the other breeds studied. The THI break points, when growth is affected by heat stress, were 78.75, 78.71, 78.42 and 77.93 for RRRR, DDDD, DDRR and DDDR respectively. At the THI break point, the growth rate declined at a rate of 0.06 Kgs, 0.09 Kgs, 0.05 Kgs and 0.15 in live weight gain per unit change in THI for RRRR, DDDD, DDRR and DDDR respectively. Random regression models fitted with reaction norm functions were used to develop two resilience phenotypes namely: Response and Stability. These resilience phenotypes were developed at THI 70 (representing low/no heat stress) and THI 85 (representing high heat stress). The breed, sex, type of birth, dams’ parity and season of birth significantly affected the stability of growth at low and high heat stress. Genetic correlations of resilience phenotypes at THI 85 with pre-weaning live weight gain (LWG1) were antagonistic and significant but not for post-weaning live weight gain (LWG2). Strong positive genetic and phenotypic correlations existed between response and its corresponding stability trait. The heritability estimates of resilience traits ranged from 0.12 for Response at THI 70 to 0.16 for Stability at THI 85. The better lamb survival and ewe longevity, and high tolerance to heat stress of the Red Maasai breed are an indication of their suitability for the harsh environment. Crossbreeding of the Red Maasai with Dorper has the potential to optimize growth and reproductive efficiency in the semi-arid environment. The moderate heritability estimates for resilience phenotypes in the population studied highlight opportunities for selective breeding to enhance resilience for growth under the changing climatic conditions. Context-specific improved animal management practices can increase the survival of lambs, improve their reproductive performance and reduce the impact of heat stress on growth
Luminescent and Conductive Hybrid Materials based on Nanoscale Metal-Organic Frameworks and (Bio)Polymers
(2025-05) Maxeiner, Moritz
This PhD thesis is centred around a unifying theme: the design and fabrication of hybrid materials that integrate nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nanoMOFs) with (bio)polymers, targeting advancements in materials science and greener chemistry. A multi-faceted research approach has been applied to address this topic, with three main objectives: first, to synthesise nanoscale versions of bulk MOFs known from the literature; second, to develop nanoMOF@polymer hybrid materials with multi-level anti-counterfeiting mechanisms; and third, to synthesise environmentally friendly nanoMOF@biopolymer materials according to green chemistry principles. During the elaboration of the set scientific scope, all key objectives were successfully achieved, leading to notable achievements in the areas studied. A surfactant-assisted bottom-up synthesis route has successfully produced nanoMOFs with enhanced photophysical and morphological properties compared to their bulk versions. Mixed-matrix-membranes (MMMs) and powders composed of lanthanide-containing nanoMOFs (nLn³⁺-MOFs) and anthropogenic polymers (APs) have been developed, exhibiting multi-level anti-counterfeiting with interconnected properties, making them highly secure and difficult to replicate, thereby suitable for security-related applications. Aiming towards sustainability, developed nLn³⁺-MOFs were combined successfully with biopolymers yielding biodegradable and recyclable MMMs, hydrogels and cryogels. These bio-based materials demonstrating high regeneration capacity and stability over multiple recycling steps, align with green chemistry principles. Dispersibility and particle distribution benefit from the nanocharacter of nLn³⁺-MOF particles, which is a critical requirement for stable and resilient hybrid materials. The visible (Vis= Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺) and invisible (NIR= Yb³⁺) photoluminescence of developed nLn³⁺-BDC (BD^C2−= benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate), together with the conductivity of the APs polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and pyrolysed resorcinol-formaldehyde (pRF) were used to create an additive multi-level anti-counterfeiting. Each feature (Vis-light, NIRlight, conductivity) represents a certain level of security, while they are interconnected by optical and physical properties – changing one will inevitably change another of the levels. The materials developed are designed to be difficult to replicate for unambiguous marking of valuable goods. As materials science has to address sustainability to overcome environmentally relevant challenges in the future, APs have been replaced by biodegradable nature-based biopolymers agar and gelatine. Luminescent MMMs made from nEu³⁺-BDC@biopolymers have been successfully recycled ten-times, while the red luminescence allows for the monitoring of the material’s condition. Resilient nEu³⁺-BDC in boiling water and freezing temperatures as well as water-based synthesis routes, render these materials suitable alternatives for AP-based hybrid materials. Altogether: improved synthesis techniques, application-driven approaches and biodegradable alternatives enable the creation of advanced nanoMOF@(bio)polymer hybrid materials supporting anti-counterfeiting, sustainability and circular economy.
Entwicklung eines Diagnoseschlüssels für die Innere Medizin des Pferdes anhand einer retrospektiven Studie von 13.550 Fällen aus den Jahren 2000 - 2020
(2024) Klinkel, Samira
Eine retrospektive Auswertung von Patientendaten der Klinik für Pferde, Innere Medizin (PFI), der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen bildete die Grundlage für das Hauptziel dieses Dissertationsprojektes, die Entwicklung eines speziesspezifischen Diagnoseschlüssels für internistische Diagnosen bei Pferden. Die Daten umfassten alle Pferde, Ponys und Esel, die von 2000 bis 2020 in der PFI ambulant oder stationär behandelt wurden. Der Hauptzielparameter bestand in der individuellen Hauptdiagnose, die anhand eines ersten Diagnosekatalogs eingeteilt und verschlüsselt wurde. Dieser erste Diagnoseschlüssel enthielt 14 Hauptgruppen, meist basierend auf Organsystemen. Jede Hauptgruppe war in maximal vier Stufen unterteilt, um die Diagnosen zu hierarchisieren. Pro Fall wurde eine Haupt- und bis zu zwei Nebendiagnosen, Outcomes und patientenbezogene Angaben wie Alter, Geschlecht, Rasse, Dauer des Aufenthalts, Erkrankungsdauer und eventuelle Wiedervorstellungen in eine Exceltabelle überführt. Über 21 Jahre (Januar 2000 bis Dezember 2020) wurden die Daten von 14.034 Patienten der PFI erfasst. Es wurden 484 Begleitpferde ausgeschlossen, was zu 13.550 Hauptdiagnosen führte. Die jährliche Patientenanzahl variierte zwischen 497 (2000) und 822 (2019), mit einem Median von 626. Das Durchschnittsalter der Patienten stieg von 9,9 (2000) auf 13,7 Jahre (2020), was eine hoch signifikante Zunahme (p < 0,0001) um ca. 2 Monate pro Jahr ergab. Die Verteilung des Geschlechts zeigte leichte Anstiege von Wallachen und Stuten, während die eh geringe Hengstanzahl weiter abnahm. Warmblüter bildeten mit 56,3 % die größte Rassegruppe. Über die Jahre nahm ihr prozentualer Anteil ab, während Kleinpferde zunahmen (p < 0,0001). Die stationäre Aufenthaltsdauer reduzierte sich signifikant (p < 0,01) von im Median 5,0 Tagen (2000-2002) auf 3,2 Tage (2018-2020). Der ganz überwiegende Anteil (83,5 %) der Patienten wurde einmalig vorgestellt, 11,9 % hatten mindestens eine Wiedervorstellung aufgrund der selben Erkrankung und 4,6 % wurden aufgrund anderer Symptome erneut vorgestellt. Die meisten Patienten wiesen ein perakutes Geschehen auf, dabei handelte es sich ganz überwiegend um Koliker. 67,4 % aller Patienten konnten entlassen werden, 18,6 % wurden in die Klinik für Pferde, Chirurgie und Orthopädie (PFC) ganz überwiegend (91 %) zur Kolikoperation überwiesen. In der PFI mussten 13,2 % der Patienten euthanasiert werden, 0,2 % verstarben und 0,3 % wurden in externe Kliniken überwiesen. Die Überweisungen in die PFC nahmen über die Zeit ab, während der Anteil an euthanasierten und verstorbenen Patienten zunahm, was mit dem höheren Alter der Patienten zusammenhängen könnte. Die Erkrankungen des Verdauungstraktes überwogen mit 9.039 Fällen (66,7 %). Diese wurden überwiegend durch Koliker repräsentiert. Magenerkrankungen stiegen von 11 Fällen in den ersten drei Jahren auf 193 Fälle in den letzten 3 Jahren des betrachteten Zeitraums deutlich an. Respiratorische Erkrankungen waren mit 1.558 Fällen (11,5 %) die zweit größte Hauptgruppe mit der chronisch obstruktiven Bronchitis (Equines Asthma) als häufigster Diagnose innerhalb der Atemwegserkrankungen (61,9 %). Das Herzkreislaufsystem war in 795 Fällen (5,9 %) betroffen, wobei sich von 634 kardialen Fällen 400 als Herzklappeninsuffizienzen erwiesen. Die Sammelgruppe der systemisch erkrankten Pferde machte mit 4,0 % (n = 544) aller Patienten die viert größte Gruppe aus, am häufigsten wurden hier Patienten mit Fieber (39,3 %) und Abmagerung (16,7 %) unklarer Genese einsortiert. Die Erkrankungen von Haut, Haaren und Lymphknoten kamen in 2,2 % der Gesamterkrankungen vor (302 Fälle). Die Einteilung im ersten Diagnoseschlüssel führte dazu, dass die Infektion der Lymphknoten mit Streptococcus equi. ssp. equi (Druse) 22,2 % der Patienten dieser Gruppe ausmachte. Harn- und Geschlechtsorgane waren in 242 Fällen (1,8 %) betroffen, wobei ein Anstieg von Niereninsuffizienzen von 5 Patienten in den ersten drei Jahren auf 24 Fälle in den letzten drei Jahren des betrachteten Zeitraums auffiel. In die weiteren sieben Hauptgruppen wurden zwischen 58 und 229 Fälle eingeteilt. Auf Basis dieser Auswertungen und inspiriert von der internationalen statistischen Klassifikation der Krankheiten und verwandter Gesundheitsprobleme der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) erfolgte eine Optimierung des ersten Diagnoseschlüssels. Hauptgruppen wie Haut/Haare und Lymphknoten, Herz/Kreislauf sowie Harn- und Geschlechtsapparat wurden geteilt, neue Hauptgruppen für Lymph- und Blutsystem, Sinnesorgane und Ernährungsstörungen geschaffen und zahlreiche Diagnosen ergänzt. Zudem können darin Vergiftungen, Verhaltensstörungen und unerwünschte Arzneimittelwirkungen klassifiziert werden. Die Anwendung des optimierten Diagnoseschlüssels in Pferdepraxen und –kliniken könnte maßgeblich dazu beitragen, basierend auf hohen Fallzahlen exakte Kenntnisse zu Diagnosehäufigkeiten in der Pferdemedizin zu erlangen, um daraus Forschungs- wie Ausbildungsschwerpunkte abzuleiten.
Echoes of the Persian Heritage, Rhythms of Modernity: Life-Worlds in Flux : A Critical Exploration of Inter/Transmedial Configurations from Golestan to Beyzaie
(2025) Alinezhadi, Ehsan
This dissertation examines intermedial and transmedial storytelling in Iranian New Wave cinema, focusing on how selected films, both adapted and non adapted, mediate cultural narratives through medium-specific aesthetics to construct hybrid cultural identities and narrative worlds. Case studies include but not limited to the film adaptations, like Dariush Mehrjui’s The Postman 1972, based on Büchner’s Woyzeck, alongside original films such as Bahram Beyzaie’s The Crow 1977. Situating Iranian New Wave cinema within a a broader cultural framework while reading it through intermedial and transmedial concepts and configurations, drawing on Mieke Bal’s “travelling concepts,” Homi Bhabha’s notion of “Third Space”, and Werner Wolf’s inter/transmedial theory, this study analyzes film’s mise-en-scène, editing, and cinematography to trace how narrative elements and cultural signifiers circulate and transform across cultural and inter/transmedial dynamics. For example, The Postman explicitly critiques Iran’s rapid top-down modernization and its inevitable consequences, particularly the conflict between emerging modern structures and traditional life-worlds. In The Crow, Beyzaie portrays a modernizing Tehran through the story of a female protagonist who struggles to assert her rejected individuality. By revealing how 1960s–70s Iranian New Wave cinema both reflects and shapes a culturally hybrid society, this dissertation contributes to the discussions around film studies, cultural studies, narratology, and adaptation theory by offering an interdisciplinary model linking narrative form, media, and socio-cultural context.
Stable and Unstable: Binary Opposition in Pnictogens
(2025) Qian, Weiyu
The stability and instability is one of the most fundamental dualities in chemistry, which governs the essence of reactivity with a linkage of energy through kinetic and thermodynamic principles, as well as quantum-mechanical tunneling. The "unstable" species, driven by a natural inclination, strives to transform into a "stable" state, minimizing energy and pushing the reaction equilibrium. Conversely, a "stable" species must be "compelled" into an unstable state—whether by external forces or chemical manipulation—to unlock its reactivity or achieve energy storage. This dynamic relationship underscores the intrinsic interdependence of stability and instability; they are not absolutes but rather exist in a state of constant tension, capable of mutual inversion depending on context and conditions. From a philosophical perspective, stability and instability can be viewed as two sides of the same coin (like Apollonian and Dionysian, from Die Geburt der Tragödie aus dem Geiste der Musik, Friedrich Nietzsche), where each defines and elevates the significance of the other. Stability gives instability its allure of transient, prompting the quest to capture fleeting species that defy conventional norms. Meanwhile, instability imbues stability with its intrinsic value, as the effort to stabilize the ephemeral drives innovation in chemistry. This duality reflects a broader natural order, where opposites not only coexist but also fuel progress, challenge boundaries, and inspire creativity. In this thesis, I’m going to constitute unstable "oligomer" (higher neutral nitrogen allotropes) with the units of stable dinitrogen, explore methods to generate and study the chemistry of unstable heavier analogs of stable dinitrogen, and investigate novel properties of highly reactive, electron-deficient species that violate the octet rule in main group elements. This endeavor embodies a philosophical and scientific journey—transforming the transient into the tangible, the unstable into the cherished, and the elusive into the achievable. In the first publication, the interstellar candidate phosphorus mononitride PN, a metastable species under ambient conditions, was generated through high-vacuum flash pyrolysis of (o-phenyldioxyl)phosphinoazide in cryogenic matrices. Moreover, an elusive o-benzoquinone-PN complex formed and its recombination to (o-phenyldioxyl)-λ5-phosphinonitrile was observed upon irradiation with the light λ = 523 nm, which demonstrates for the first time the reactivity of PN towards an organic molecule. In the second publication, we report the in situ characterization of triplet phenylarsinidene by matrix-isolation infrared and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Doping the matrices containing phenylarsinidene with molecular oxygen leads to the formation of hitherto unknown kinetic intermediate anti-dioxyphenylarsine, which demonstrates a completely different reactivity with corresponding phenylnitrene and phenylphosphinidene. The anti-dioxyphenylarsine undergoes isomerization to novel dioxophenylarsine upon 465 nm irradiation. In the third publication, we report the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of vinylarsinidene, a higher congener of vinylnitrene. Triplet vinylarsinidene was characterized by IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy and displays remarkably rich unimolecular photochemistry. Upon selective photoirradiation, it rearranges to vinylidenearsine, 2H-arsirene, or an arsinidene (H–As) acetylene complex. Furthermore, the stability of vinylphosphinidene was projected with multireference computations. In the fourth publication, the first example of scalably synthesizable neutral nitrogen allotrope, C2h-N6 was prepared in the gas-phase at ambient temperature, followed by characterized in argon matrices at 10 K or neatly as a film at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K), demonstrating unexpectedly high stability. Energetic performance computations at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level with Kamlet-Jacob equation predict an excellent detonation performance over several well-known explosives, for example, TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) and RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane).
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging for the analysis of pro-and anti-inflammatory macrophages and murine and human atherosclerotic tissue samples
(2025) Khamehgir-Silz, Pegah
The primary objective of this dissertation is the use of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MALDI MSI) for the visualization and characterization of pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophages as well as atherosclerotic plaques in murine models and human tissue samples. In the first publication, a comprehensive methodology was developed to distinguish pro- and anti-inflammatory human macrophages using MALDI-MSI, RT-qPCR, and FACS. The macrophage subtypes M1, M2a, and M2c could be successfully distinguished based on expression profiles of marker genes using RT-qPCR and FACS. A comprehensive working protocol for the preparation, measurement and data analysis for MALDI-MSI was developed and established. The method identified subtype-specific markers and showed good reproducibility in three biological replicates based on principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The heterogeneity of cells from different donors became apparent when the number of biological replicates was increased from 3 to 6. Due to the biological variability of cells derived from various donors, identifying universal markers for in-vitro stimulated human macrophages posed challenges. In the second publication, lipid markers associated with plaque formation and development in ApoE-/- mice were successfully identified, and their presence in human atherosclerotic tissue was investigated. The determined results clearly showed differences in the lipid profile of the older ApoE-/-mice compared to the wild-type mice. Thirty-one compounds that were exclusively detected in the ApoE-/- mice were identified as markers. The results of the human atherosclerotic tissue samples showed significantly different lipid profiles, making it difficult to identify universal markers. However, in particular tissue samples, it was possible to detect markers identified in the murine plaques tissue samples. These findings demonstrate a patient-specific lipid profile and support previous findings suggesting that clinically significant atherosclerotic plaques contain a variable mixture of lipids. The detected variance in lipid compositions could be related to different stages of atherosclerosis progression and factors such as diet, lifestyle and medication. These findings highlight the necessity of considering unique patient characteristics, such as medication history, when analyzing lipid profiles in atherosclerosis studies. Overall, this PhD thesis contributes to our understanding of the lipid composition in atherosclerotic plaques and highlights the potential of MALDI MSI as a valuable, powerful technique for studying macrophages and atherosclerotic plaques in murine models and human samples. The findings provide a useful basis for future research approaches and may aid in developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease.
NO-Synthasen vermitteln die cholinerge Kontrolle des P2X7-Rezeptors
(2024) Asci, Nilay
Hintergrund: Monozyten und Makrophagen sind wichtige Quellen des proinflammatorischen Zytokins Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), das an der Abwehr von Infektionen beteiligt ist. Hohe Konzentrationen dieses Zytokins werden jedoch auch mit lebensbedrohlichen systemischen Entzündungserkrankungen wie Fieber, Schock und Organschäden in Verbindung gebracht. Daher sind Mechanismen, die die IL-1β-Freisetzung kontrollieren, von erheblichem klinischem Interesse. Für die Produktion und Freisetzung von IL-1β sind zwei Hauptsignale erforderlich. Als Reaktion auf ein erstes Gefahrensignal, etwa das Endotoxin Lipopolysaccharid (LPS), das mit dem Toll-like-Rezeptor 4 (TLR-4) interagiert, wird Pro-IL-1β synthetisiert. In mononukleären Phagozyten löst extrazelluläres ATP, das aus aktivierten oder beschädigten Zellen ausgeschüttet wird, die ionotrope Funktion des P2X7-Rezeptors (P2X7R) aus, was zur Zusammensetzung des NLRP3-Inflammasoms, Aktivierung von Caspase-1, Spaltung von Pro-IL-1β in seine biologisch aktive Form IL-1β und schließlich zu seiner Freisetzung führt. Unsere Arbeitsgruppe hatte zuvor einen cholinergen Mechanismus identifiziert, der die ATP-vermittelte Freisetzung von IL-1β über nikotinische Acetylcholinrezeptoren (nAChRs) in mononukleären Phagozyten hemmt. Es wurden klassische und unkonventionelle nAChR-Agonisten identifiziert, die diese Hemmfunktion auslösen, ohne die ionotrope Funktion herkömmlicher nAChRs auszulösen. Hier untersuchten wir den Signalweg, der zur cholinergen Hemmung der ionotropen Funktion des ATP-sensitiven P2X7R führt. Methoden: Humane monozytäre THP-1-Zellen, aus THP-1-Zellen abgeleitete M1-ähnliche Makrophagen, murine mononukleäre Zellen des peripheren Blutes (PBMCs), bone marrow-derived Makrophagen (BMDMs) und humane PBMCs wurden untersucht. Mit LPS stimulierte Zellen wurden mit dem P2X7R-Agonisten BzATP oder ATP in Gegenwart von verschiedenen nAChR-Agonisten behandelt. Um die Beteiligung einer NO-Synthase (NOS) in dem oben beschriebenen Signalweg zu untersuchen, wurden die Zellen zusätzlich mit den NOS-Inhibitoren L-NAME (Nω-Nitro-L-Arginin-Methylester-Hydrochlorid) und L-NIO (L-N5-(1-Iminoethyl)-Ornithin) behandelt. Um den Effekt von NO und Peroxynitrit auf die ATP-induzierte Freisetzung von IL-1β zu untersuchen, wurde den Zellen der NO-Donor SNAP (S-Nitroso-N-Acetyl-DL-Penicillamin) oder der Peroxynitrit-Donor SIN-1 (3-Morpholinosydnonimin) zugegeben. Darüber hinaus wurden Experimente mit dem porenbildenden bakteriellen Toxin Nigericin in Gegenwart der NOS-Inhibitoren, NO- und Peroxynitrit-Donoren durchgeführt, um einen möglichen Effekt dieser Substanzen auf die ATP-unabhängige IL-1β-Freisetzung zu identifizieren. Die IL-1β-Konzentration wurde in Zellkulturüberständen mittels ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) ermittelt. Ergebnisse: Die hemmende Wirkung von nAChR-Agonisten auf die ATP-induzierte Freisetzung von IL-1β wurde durch die NO- und Peroxynitrit-Donoren SIN-1 und SNAP nachgeahmt und durch die NOS-Inhibitoren L-NAME und L-NIO aufgehoben. In Gegenwart von Nigericin und dem NO- bzw. Peroxynitrit-Donor SIN-1 und SNAP, konnte abhängig vom untersuchten Zelltyp ebenfalls eine Reduzierung der ATP-unabhängigen Freisetzung von IL-1β gezeigt werden. Der Effekt auf die Nigericin-induzierte IL-1β-Freisetzung war jedoch deutlich geringer als der Effekt auf die ATP-induzierte IL-1β-Freisetzung. Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit deuten darauf hin, dass die Stimulation von nAChRs zur Aktivierung einer NOS führt und dass deren Produkte NO und/oder Peroxynitrit den ATP sensitiven P2X7R inhibieren. Dieser Mechanismus lässt sich in humanen und murinen Monozyten und Makrophagen nachweisen und dürfte ein vielversprechendes therapeutisches Ziel für die zukünftige Behandlung entzündlicher Erkrankungen sein.
Moving towards Ecological Validity: Conceptions and Measurement of Children’s Musicality
(2025) Buren, Verena
Although child musicality is inherently rich and diverse, assessments often reduce it to isolated, predominantly aural abilities. This reductionist approach compromises the ecological validity of the assessments by detaching musicality from its real-world context, thereby limiting a more nuanced understanding. Reframing musicality as a social construct that is shaped by cultural conceptions of music and aesthetics addresses these limitations by acknowledging its contextual and dynamic nature. From this perspective, caregivers, educators, and music professionals can provide essential insights based on their observations of children’s musical behavior in natural contexts, ultimately deepening our understanding of musicality. This dissertation contributes to the improvement of the ecological validity of musicality assessments by integrating the perspectives of parents, educators, and music professionals. Its goal is to advance research on musical development by providing a framework that reflects the complexity of musicality. In Study 1, conceptions of child musicality (ages 3 to 6 years) were examined and compared to those of adult musicality. Study 2 focused on infants and toddlers (under 3 years of age) and explored differences in conceptions within childhood. Study 3 developed a brief screening tool that allows parents and educators to assess individual differences in children’s musicality (ages 3 to 10 years). It was grounded in a broad conception of musicality and evaluated for its psychometric properties. The results underscore the multifaceted nature of child musicality, extending beyond musical abilities (i.e., perception and production) to include enthusiasm & motivation, musical communication and analytical understanding. In infants and toddlers, musical abilities, enthusiasm & motivation and musical communication were replicated while adaptive expressiveness emerged as the fourth component, indicating age-related conceptual differences. The screening instrument based on these findings showed strong psychometric properties, indicating its potential for valid and reliable assessment of children’s musicality. This dissertation establishes an ecologically valid understanding of musicality that is informed by caregivers, educators and music professionals, who regularly observe children’s musical behavior in real-life settings. Moreover, the developed screening tool enables research into individual differences in musical development and developmental trajectories. Together, these contributions facilitate the development of additional measurement tools that better capture the complexity of children's musical behavior. This work offers practical guidance for parents and educators on how to foster musical development.
Exploring wheat wild relatives as a source of traits for drought adaptation
(2025) Pantha, Sumitra
Crop domestication and subsequent breeding have significantly enhanced global food security. However, these processes have also created genetic bottlenecks, reducing crops' genetic diversity and making them more vulnerable to environmental stresses. Crop wild relatives offer a diverse range of valuable traits, including resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses, which can play a crucial role in enhancing food security amidst future climate change. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and Triticum durum Desf.) is a crucial global staple crop, vital for food and energy supply, and thus plays a key role in food security. The Triticum gene pool of wheat includes diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid forms. Wild wheats, which are exclusively diploid or tetraploid, serve as valuable genetic resources for wheat improvement due to their evolutionary relationships with domesticated wheat. Drought-induced wheat yield losses threaten global food security and are likely to increase with climate change. Drought stress impacts plant growth and development through morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes, ultimately reducing crop yield. To address the need for resilient crops in drought-prone regions, it is crucial to identify and develop varieties that exhibit drought tolerance traits. Although, wild wheat relatives harbor vast genetic diversity for drought tolerance traits, they have not been extensively explored. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to explore and evaluate the drought-adaptive traits of wild Triticum taxa for use in breeding drought-tolerant wheat cultivars. To evaluate drought tolerance traits in wild wheats and landraces, 110 genotypes from diverse Triticum taxa (60 wild wheats, 44 landraces and 6 modern cultivars) were evaluated at a drought-prone location with sandy loam soil at the research station of University of Giessen in Gross-Gerau during the 2021/22 winter wheat growing season. Twenty selected genotypes were further evaluated for physiological and morphological drought-adaptive traits in the same field during the 2022/23 season, and results were assessed across both years. Genotypes were selected based on their relative grain yield performance and associated physiological traits. Subsequently, a greenhouse experiment was conducted on 17 of these selected genotypes (11 wild wheats, 3 landraces, and 3 modern cultivars). This was followed by another greenhouse study focusing on 3 potential drought-tolerant genotypes from a neglected species, T. araraticum, and 2 modern bread wheat cultivars to evaluate in-depth physiological and biochemical traits that differ from modern bread wheat cultivars. These experiments were conducted under two different moisture conditions: irrigated and rainfed conditions in the field, and well-watered and drought conditions in the greenhouse experiments. In both field and greenhouse experiments, a genotype-dependent response to drought stress was observed. The Triticum gene pool showed wide variations in morphological, physiological and biochemical traits. Wild wheats such as T. dicoccoides, T. urartu and T. boeoticum exhibited isohydric stomatal regulations, while landraces and modern cultivars demonstrated anisohydric stomatal regulations. Drought stress significantly increased the accumulation of osmoprotectants, such as proline and total soluble sugars, and enhanced antioxidant activity. Additionally, T. araraticum exhibited distinct drought tolerance via glutathione (GSH) redox balance, marked by enhanced enzymatic activities like monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and glutathione reductase (GR). In contrast, modern bread wheat cultivars showed enhanced ascorbate (AsA) redox in response to drought stress. Four drought-tolerant candidates have been selected from this study across four different taxa: three from wild and one from a landrace. These candidates can be used as pre-breeding sources for wheat improvement. Modern breeding techniques could be employed to incorporate drought-tolerant candidates into breeding program.
Comparative ecology of sympatric storm-petrels: Breeding biology, niche segregation, and response to environmental changes
(2025-05) Bedolla Guzmán, Yuliana Rocío
Seabirds, including storm-petrels, are integral to marine ecosystems, yet significant gaps persist in understanding their ecology. This PhD thesis examines the niche segregation, breeding biology, and responses to environmental variability of three sympatric storm-petrel species: Leach’s storm-petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous), which is widely distributed across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the black storm-petrel (Hydrobates melania) and least storm-petrel (Hydrobates microsoma), both restricted to the Eastern Tropical Pacific. These species breed in sympatry on the San Benito Archipelago, Mexico, which supports a population of approximately two million individuals. The thesis aims to advance knowledge of their resource use, reproductive strategies, and adaptive responses to environmental changes, addressing critical gaps in their ecological understanding. The research is structured into three chapters, each exploring distinct ecological aspects. Chapter 1 evaluates niche segregation among the three storm-petrel species using stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) from tissues such as blood, feathers, and egg membranes, along with diet samples collected in 2012–2013. A marine isoscape was constructed using krill samples from the Pacific waters off Baja California. The findings demonstrated significant dietary and isotopic niche segregation during the breeding season, with black storm-petrels consuming high-trophic-level krill from neritic waters, while Leach’s and least storm-petrels fed on lower-trophic fish larvae in oceanic regions. Additionally, black storm-petrels exhibited shifts in foraging strategies across breeding phases, reflecting dietary flexibility. Chapter 2 focuses on the breeding biology of the least storm-petrel, investigating breeding phenology, reproductive success, chick growth, and diet over three breeding seasons (2013–2015). Eggs, chicks, and adults were monitored, and diet samples were collected to evaluate feeding ecology. Morphometric differences between sexes were analyzed using mist-net captures and molecular sexing in 2012. Results revealed consistently high breeding success, with inter-annual variations in timing of breeding and chick growth linked to anomalous climate conditions. Females exhibited longer wings and tails than males, while dietary analyses identified larval fish, euphausiids, and squid as key prey items. Chapter 3 investigates inter-annual variability in the breeding biology, chick growth, and provisioning behavior of the black storm-petrel over six consecutive breeding seasons (2012–2017). Parameters such as peak mass, fledging mass, feeding rate, and meal size showed significant inter-annual variation, although these trends were not explained by regional or local environmental indices. This suggests that other factors such fine-scale habitat or pre-breeding ocean conditions may play a more influential role in shaping these reproductive traits. In conclusion, this thesis provides valuable insights into the resource partitioning, breeding biology, and adaptive strategies of storm-petrels, highlighting the importance of niche segregation in facilitating coexistence and reducing interspecific competition. The results emphasize the need to account for environmental variability and anthropogenic pressures in conservation strategies. By contributing to a broader understanding of storm-petrel ecology, this work establishes a foundation for enhancing conservation and management efforts for these and other seabird species in dynamic and rapidly changing marine ecosystems.
The Intersection of CSR, Contextual Factors, and Executive Incentives
(2024) Höhre, Andreas
This dissertation consists of three essays, each exploring how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is operationalized in businesses through the application of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Across these essays, CSR and executive incentives are analyzed from multiple perspectives.

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